


Symbols

by Weaselwoman



Series: Norse Crisis Flowchart [3]
Category: Marvel (Movies), Thor (Movies), Thor - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Loki Does What He Wants, Make Loki Fix It, Norse Crisis Flowchart, References to Norse Religion & Lore
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-05
Updated: 2013-11-05
Packaged: 2017-12-31 14:51:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1032969
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Weaselwoman/pseuds/Weaselwoman
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>How it came about that Loki cut off Sif’s hair.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Symbols

**Author's Note:**

> Norse Crisis Flowchart. This occurs before _Infidelity_ , and also before _Loki in the Marquesas_.

Loki was in his quarters when Sif entered, nearly in tears with rage.

“The warriors will not let me join their practices!”

Thor was conveniently away on a month-long visit to Vanaheim when Tyr had proclaimed this.

“Oh?” putting down his book carefully, using a scrap of parchment to mark his place.

“When I was a child, they let me play alongside them. But now that I am older—now that I am betrothed to Thor—they say it is not appropriate for a maiden to practice with warriors!” Sif paced.

“And you think I can help?” Loki the clever cocked an eyebrow, ever pleased at being asked to solve a problem.

“Yes!” she shouted; then paused to look at him. “That is … can you?”

“Let me think.” He frowned in thought, then smiled; and the smile gradually curled into a leer. “Yes.”

“Loki…”

“I will do nothing without your consent, Sif.”

“What, then.”

“This book: it is a Midgardian study called _logic_. Let me apply it to your problem. Why may you not practice with the warriors?”

“Because it is not appropriate for a maiden to do so.”

“And why does this apply to you?”

“I am a maiden, _fool_.”

“Ah-ah! I am helping you, remember? Now what is it that marks a girl as a maiden?”

“Everyone knows me. No mark is needed.”

“No, think. Suppose a stranger came to town. What tells him which women are maidens and which are wives?”

“It is by the style of their hair. A maiden has loose hair; a wife’s hair is braided and decorated.”

“And what happens to an adulterous wife when her husband discovers her acts?”

“He cuts off her hair, and she is known to all as a loose woman.”

“Is there any proscription against a _loose woman_ training with the soldiers?”

“She had best be able to protect herself!”

“I would not expect any to attack you, that way, before Thor has his chance at vengeance. But can you protect yourself?”

“Yes. But not against Thor.”

“Don’t worry; I’ll handle Thor.”

Recalling the leer, Sif asked, “Just what is it that you are proposing?”

Loki’s grin was truly wicked. “It’s very simple. Let me cut off your hair.”

-x-x-x-

Thor returned to rumors and the horrifying sight of a nearly bald Sif fighting alongside the warriors in the training arena. The kindest of the armorers suggested he might wish to have a word with Loki, who was watching against a nearby bench.

 

The rapidly growing thundercloud gave Loki his first presentiment of his brother’s return. The roar was the second warning. “ _What have you done_?”

Loki raised both hands and approached in surrender. “Thor…”

“ _Brother! You despoiled my intended_?”

“Brother! Wait!” As Loki suddenly dropped down, sat in the training arena’s dirt. “Calm down! I did nothing of the sort.”

“Then why?”

“Sit with me. Let me draw you a picture.”

Thor crouched, and Loki scratched an image in the dirt with his knife. “What is this?” Loki demanded suddenly.

“She was harmed by a dragon?”

“No. What is this?” tapping his knife-point on the image.

“A dragon.”

“Does it have claws to scrape you, fangs that bite, fiery breath? Can it fly? It is not a dragon.”

“Then what is it?”

“It is the image of a dragon, Thor, the _symbol_ for a dragon. But it is not itself a dragon. The symbol is not the reality. Now tell me why you think I have despoiled Sif.”

“Her hair…”

“I cut her hair, _for_ her, so those buffoons would continue to let her fight. Nothing more.”

“Nothing more?”

Loki shrugged. “Ask her.”

Thor turned to approach the practicing warriors. Behind him, a tiny glowing dragon rose from the image on the ground, gave a faint hiss, and flew away.


End file.
